Useless Monster
by Aurabora
Summary: Arceus sends Regigigas to the Hoenn region with an arduous task. The biggest problem, however, is that Hoopa has come along, too. Hoopa/Regigigas if you squint a little, along with implied one-sided PantheonShipping.


**Author's Note: Hello, and thanks for reading!**

Alright, so this one's a little weird. I feel like it's not a fantastic work, and it kind of jumps around all over the place. It centers around the somewhat neglected character of Regigigas, which is a significant point in this story.

While it's not necessarily romance, it doesn't take a lot of squinting to see hints of Hoopa/Regigigas and onesided PantheonShipping.

I would like to warn readers that this story contains **some graphic content** and **language** , courtesy of Hoopa. If any of this is offensive to you, I would suggest not reading this story.

I do not own Pokemon or the characters used in this story.

 **Please enjoy!**

* * *

 _Arceus stands before the Council of the Legends. To her right is Groudon, his head down in submission. Arceus looks around at all before speaking, "Maximilian, the leader of the horrendous Team Magma, the human responsible for this recent catastrophe, has made a grave mistake. By tampering with the balance we have created, he endangered the safety of both Groudon and the world."_

 _She stops, allowing the Legends to whisper among themselves. As the hushed voices grow louder, she silences them with a booming voice, "I believe the near-tragedy, however, is not enough to teach such an insolent fool. I believe we must send a warning to the people of Hoenn to deter future action. I believe it is time that Mt. Chimney erupts once again." Groudon grimaces. A surge of passionate voices is heard._

" _All in favor, say 'Aye.' " A resounding 'Aye' follows._

" _All against, say 'Nay.' " Few nays are heard, the loudest of which from Uxie. Arceus nods to her in consent._

" _There is a village upon Mt. Chimney," she states. "If you only wish to send humans a warning, it would be illogical to take their lives. I have another idea, however." Some whisper in uncertainty and curiosity._

" _As always, we value your reason, Uxie," remarks Arceus. "Please share your thoughts."_

" _Very well," Uxie replies, glancing pointedly at Regigigas before continuing. "The mainland of Hoenn rests on the corner of a tectonic plate. On the east side, it is a transform boundary, as evidenced by Kyogre's trench; on the north side, a convergent boundary, evidenced by Mt. Chimney. If it were moved just slightly, it would definitely trigger a minor underwater earthquake to the east and perhaps some increased volcanic activity in the north, but I doubt an eruption would occur. Because the natural disasters would come from both Kyogre and Groudon's homes, I believe the people would get the point._

" _As for moving it… That's where you come in, Regigigas…"_

* * *

The sun was oppressive, as it often was in Hoenn. The demanding heat coaxed every drop of water from every inch of the colossal legend's body, only to take it from his weathered surface as steam. His statuesque form was hot from the burning sun and sheer force as he struggled against the taut ropes bound to him. They snaked tight around his legs, arms, and torso, leaving no muscle exposed. In his hands, he held even more earthen ropes, tethered to the landmass behind him. The ropes did more than bind him: they suffocated him, overheating his stony body as it leaked precious water from his few exposed areas. The stuffy vapor coiled behind him and filled a small area of sky as a sort of cloud. The gargantuan Regigigas was but a tiny image of the looming Mt. Chimney, spewing steam instead of ash.

His too slow and too large legs struggled to find a foothold in the sandy dirt, which sank and slid with every failed step. The white sand was far too bright; the ocean blinding as it reflected the sun's rays. The disappointing foliage offered no shade fit for his size. Everything, it seemed, was his enemy on this pathetic Mirage Island that Arceus had conjured out of the ocean north of Hoenn. It was remarkably small, climbing only a few feet above the sea. Its only truly distinguishing feature was a crater on its northeastern end, some 30 feet from where Regigigas pulled. The edge of the island just past the crater was his destination. If it hadn't been for the dry soil that kept sliding beneath his feet, or the fact that he was facing the sun, or his Slow Start ability, or the entire tectonic plate upon which the Hoenn region rests in tow behind him, he would've made the trip in no time.

Pulling harder and harder with each slip down the embankment, he leaned against the thick ropes with all his might. But despite his efforts, he was not rewarded with the tremors of tectonic movement. Instead, his weight suddenly pitched forward as he slipped one final time, his feet finally giving in to the unforgiving sand. The ropes in his hands slid from his grasp, burning his palms and shoulders their its wake. The only tremor came from his massive body hitting the ground, causing the small island to shudder violently. Dirt flew into the air, mingling with the giant's form of sweat and settling thickly on his damp body. Against the ground he relaxed, though his restraints were pulled tight with tension. Both shame and exhaustion beat down on him like the sun's rays. He was content to lie in his gritty bed of self-pity… Until he heard the bright sound of cruel laughter.

Feeling himself grow contrastingly cold with embarrassment, Regigigas haltingly lifted himself up enough to gaze upon the small form of a fellow Legend resting cooly in the shade, shaking with little snickers. In his physical struggle, he had nearly forgotten the most depraving factor of his task: the psychological abuse from Hoopa. Mumbling darkly to himself, he slowly picked his sorry self off the ground, brushing dirt from his marbled surface and shaking it from his green growth. Avoiding eye contact with the smaller Pokemon, knowing that she wanted nothing more than his attention, he focused on tightening the ropes that had slackened in his ungraceful fall.

"I think that suffices for an earthquake, eh?" his cruel companion giggled from the cool of the shade, giving him a thumbs up. He felt his insides churn with embarrassment and annoyance. The shrill sound of her laughter paired with the clink of the hoops against her ugly black horns made him want to crush her in his hand. He'd never interacted much with her, knowing only that she was a mischievous little devil who enjoyed tormenting others with words. And he now found that, as he slaved in the sun while she relaxed in the refreshing shade, throwing taunt after taunt at him, he hated her. And he hated that she had to be his mode of transportation to and from Hoenn. But it was Arceus' decision, as everything out to get him that day was, and he was not going to oppose his queen. Still, that didn't mean his unfortunate guest had to watch him and provide commentary as he struggled.

"Why don't you just leave until I'm done…" he muttered quietly, hoping that she would and would not hear at the same time.

She did not. "Huh? What was that? Speak up, you fat, bumbling oaf!" she called, a snicker in her voice. He flinched lightly at her harsh words, but remained silent. Still refusing to let her have the full attention she wanted, he took up his previous position against the ropes holding him. He could feel her eyes glowering at him from the shadow of the bush.

"Hey, Regi! I'm talking to you!"

Ignoring his unwanted little friend's jeers, Regigigas quietly continued to prepare for the monumental task ahead of him. He smiled inwardly. He was going to win against his task AND Hoopa. She was trying to degrade his work ethic, and he was not going to let her do that. He couldn't let Arceus - or anyone else - down. He could and he _would_ prove himself. He cleansed his thoughts of everything but the landmass behind him. He was feeling the heat of before, but now it was exhilarating. Steam began to spew heavily again as his body tensed with anticipation. It cleaned the dirt from his pristine surface, washing away the shame of his previous attempt. His muscles ached, but contracted on command. With tremendous effort he pulled, putting all his force into keeping a solid footing. He still had yet to take a step, but he was not going to let himself fall. His strength would come to him with every attempt.

...But still, lingering in the back of his mind, he was aware of Hoopa's watchful eyes. She had quieted herself, but her reminder of her presence made him uneasy. He really wished she would leave him to his task. Even though he felt much stronger than he did at his first attempt, he felt more inadequate knowing that she was slyly judging him and could tear him down in an instant. Against his better judgment, he glanced over at Hoopa's reclining form. She was now eating a berry plucked from the bush, a bemused expression on her face. It appeared that she'd moved on from her previous tirade of insults.

"So, Regi, you _really_ pulled the continents?" she questioned mockingly, half chewed berry hindering her speech. He watched as juice from the berry dribbled down her cheek and onto the cool grass below her, reminding him of just how dry and torrid he was. She swallowed and swiped away the precious liquid, smiling almost kindly.

"I have a hard time believing that, ya know?" she continued. Keeping himself stolid, he looked down, regretting his impulsive decision to give in to her stare. Did she think he didn't know that his efforts were only making a mockery of what he could _really_ do? Her doubt in him made him pull harder, push himself further. He'd show her. He'd show everyone...

"Damn shame that Arceus hadn't made _me_ yet when you had to do that… _If_ you really had to do that. Heh, I would've had the job done in a snap!" She loudly exclaimed, giving one of her hoops a tap. He tensed, gripping the rope so tightly that the burn on his fingers flared in irritation. He cared not. How could _Hoopa_ , who'd probably never _actually_ worked a day in her life, possibly do what he could do? She didn't didn't know the burdens he'd bared for Arceus… No one did! Nobody knew or could understand the physical and mental ache of having the literal weight of the world upon one's shoulders...

Regigigas shook himself from his thoughts. How was she able to break his concentration like this? Her words, the aggravating tinkling laughter, the pressure of the job at hand... He couldn't let it get to him. He had to stay focused on his task…

But he _had to stop_ her verbal abuse. That would solve every problem. He could deal with the sun, the sand, the weight of the world… But not this damnable little pest and her hurtful words.

He tossed his shoulders back and pulled relentlessly and aggressively, using the region behind him as a bulwark for the brunt of his internalized fury. His breath was labored and steam billowed out between the ropes in thin but continuous streams. He could barely breathe, but managed to find the willpower and confidence to mumble out, "That's not true… A continent… Too big..." Yet it was so soft that it was drowned in her sea of self-satisfied giggles.

"What's that? Heh, no matter. It seems I've struck a sore spot. You _know_ that I'm right," she sneered, coming out of her shadow and floating smugly a few feet in front of him. "In my true form, I could move all the continents at once!" She gestured all around her; the ocean, the volcano, the distant desert, as if it were all here by her doing. She laughed her sick, high-pitched laugh, the godawful hoops tingling with the wracks of her tiny body. She then returned her glowing green eyes to him, smiling that deceptively sweet smile at his visible cringe.

He kept his head down, using it as the driving force to pull. It was scorching with an internal spark of anger. Her words were fueling a fire deep inside of him, and he didn't know how to control it. He could sense her drifting closer. _No_ , he wanted to say. _Don't come closer. I'll… I'll…_

With his topmost eye, he could see the periwinkle wisp of her lower body floating dangerously close. She leaned down so that he was now looking right into her yellow and green eyes. In spite of the steamy air, he felt a shiver pass over his body. Her smile was small and - not sweet as he had thought, but self-satisfied. But it was her bright eyes that caught his attention, for in them he saw the most malicious glint that he'd never seen in a living creature before. Then she murmured as if talking to a child, "Man, if only Arceus'd thought of that one... You wouldn't even _be_ here! You're the most useless of her "greatest" creations..."

...And suddenly everything changed. The sun was no longer beating down on him. The sand was solid ground. The ropes winding around his body were nothing but a light breeze tickling his surface. There was no weight holding him back. Hoopa was no longer smiling in victory. Hoopa was no longer snickering and tinkling. Hoopa's eyes were no longer glowing evilly. Regigigas' eyes were glowing red with rage. Regigigas shook with uncontrollable force. Regigigas' muscles swelled. And Regigigas lunged at Hoopa.

Gargantuan hands clasped around the tiny Legend, rewarding the larger Pokemon with a squeak of terror. And in the next instant they tightened around the tiny life form, squeezing her with incredible strength, strength too much for the much smaller being. But in the same instant, the squeezer realized that the ground was vibrating, and a low rumble was fading away. His red eyes darkened closer to his placid black, and he looked down at the ground. A footprint was visible in the sand. He had taken his first step. A small step, but a step nonetheless. He looked up at the sea, at the waves protesting against the landmass. The one _he_ had moved. And then he looked down at his hands.

The small female's face was contorted in pain, and she was struggling against his hands. She let out a cry and opened one eye, pleading with him to spare her. Horrified as realization dawned on him, Regigigas and opened his palms. For a moment, the source of his struggles relaxed against his hands, gulping in air. He watched her pitifully as she recovered, unsure of what to do or what he could do. He was cold with shame and felt guilt eating a hole in his stomach. He had one moment of relief when she seemed to finally calm down, but in the next instant, as if his hands had a searing touch, she sprung away from his clutch. And then she looked up at him, and he would've given anything to just die right there. For in her eyes, he saw tears, tears that only illuminated the emotion she carried within: fear. She was terrified. Of _him_.

Shell shocked, he staggered backward as if he'd been struck. The ropes slid down around him at the lack of tension, but that was the least of his worries. Arceus, how could he have done that? How could he have let his rage take control of him like that? Was her fear warranted? He was a monster… A monster to be locked away and forgotten… Oh, Arceus, how to make her stop, stop looking at him that way? He had to apologize to her… That's it...

Gently, he reached his arm out, but her wavering eyes widened in fright. She floated even further away, gaping incredulously. Her glistening eyes were glazed over in shock, as if she didn't recognize him. He tried to speak, but found his breath caught. And it seemed she had no words, either. He dropped his arm by his side, and they stared at one another as the waves provided the only sound. But it wasn't long before she broke their silence with a heart-wrenching sob. She retrieved one of her hoops dangling from her horns and threw it into the air, where a portal opened at its climax. Realizing that she was making a retreat, Regigigas took a small step towards her to offer his regret, but she turned and flew off before he could even begin to think of something to say.

And once again, the crashing of the waves, calming from their excitement, was the only sound able to fill the area. But it was the words circling through Regigigas' head that had his attention. His mind's voice over and over again repeated the word " _monster_." But a mind voice to his conscience, Hoopa's voice, whispered, " _useless_ " at much greater volumes.

* * *

Little quakes were becoming commonplace as Hoenn's tectonic plate begrudgingly grated against its neighbors. As he initially began to build up momentum with his small steps, he was still shaken from what just happened. The process was long and ardorous. But as he kept going, the effects of Slow Start were fading away. Pulling the dense landmass was now a walk in the park as he took step after slow step.

But it was funny, because what had seemed so difficult at first was now such a monotonous task to him. Sure, the volcano kept threatening to spew its contents with every step and the trench but a few miles kept spraying angry waves across the tiny island, but these things no longer concerned Regigigas. Instead, his mind swam with what Hoopa had said… And what he had done.

Useless monster. What a title.

For all he knew, she had left him indefinitely. Maybe she left him to stay on this island forever, the strangest of banishments. It certainly wouldn't be a bad idea at this point. Fit for an outrageous beast who served no great purpose. But perhaps even worse was the prospect of having to face her again _if_ she came back. What would he say? How could he possibly make amends for his act of violence?

 _You could start by apologizing, dumbass_ , Hoopa's voice sneered in his head. He knew it was no telepathy at work here. It was simply his conscience being agonizingly cruel by speaking to him in her voice. It was as if she'd never left… Which was both a blessing and a curse. In a way, he almost missed her jeers spurring him on in a way. Having to bear the weight of Hoenn alone sounded ideal at first, but now he kind of wished for her companionship - if it could be called such a thing. But her aggravating voice also reminded him that she _wasn't_ actually there because of _him_. And even more aggravating was the fact that everything it said was logical and sensible. He could make no argument against her… er, himself… and it was frustrating that Hoopa _always_ won the mental arguments.

But whether he liked it or not, he had to apologize one way or another. And that meant he'd have to see her again… sooner or later.

He was no longer in a hurry to get the task over with. He took his slow time across the island as the oppressive sun dipped lower and lower into the sky, losing the heat that he now wished would stay, if only to give an excuse for taking such a long time.

* * *

The sky was a pale shade of pink and the sun glowed orange on the horizon when Regigigas reached the end of the crater. The air had cooled, but Regigigas still burned on the inside. Exhaustion, both physical and mental, took hold of his body. It brought him to his knees as he lackadaisically loosened the ropes winding their way around him. They knotted and pulled against his uncaring fingers, and he found that he was content to collapse on his back with his left leg still caught in their clutches. The tremor his body made upon impact was nothing to the minor tsunami-inducing earthquake occurring to the southwest, where Kyogre's trench angrily settled in a new shape. The ground rumbled deep beneath him as the bed of magma considered pushing its way through Mt. Chimney.

"That's one hell of an earthquake you've got there…" an all-too-familiar voice muttered behind him.

In spite of the aches and groans of his muscles at the action, Regigigas tensed at the sound. So she wasn't just going to leave him… And it appeared she wasn't going to give him time to rest his mind and body. He didn't know whether her appearance was a reason to smile at the possibility of forgiveness or grimace at the likelihood of anger, sadness, rejection… _fear_ …

Groaning loudly, he planted his arms on the ground and pushed in a move to get up, but his wobbly arms and legs, combined with the bind his left leg was in, refused to support his weight, and he slipped back down onto his back with a resounding thud and shudder. As the sand flew up against his collapse, he expected to hear her cheeky laughter at the inherently hilarious spectacle she just witnessed - did he _want_ to hear her laugh, to know she harbored no ill feelings? - but he heard no sound. Instead, to his great shock, he felt a tickling sensation on his left leg as ropes slid across his rocky skin. Feeling his stomach churn with an unknown emotion, he shifted himself so that he could see barely see his leg with his eye holes.

Through the gritty dirt making its descent back to the ground, he could see her garish eyes glowing yellow and green in the dimming light. At his movement, they flickered over to meet his gaze before widening and immediately dropping down again. He quickly looked away into the sky and felt himself grow uncomfortably warm with embarrassment at the awkwardness of the situation. Here they were, their first interaction since he nearly _killed her_ , marked with silence as she undid a mess that he had created. But the warmth came from another feeling that had surfaced when he looked into her eyes. It was hope, perhaps, because there was no trace of the hated emotions that had once flooded them. Gone was the malice when she revealed the truth of his pointlessness; the fear that had surfaced when he showed her his monstrous side had vanished. So what had taken its place?

Taking care to be discreet, he slowly shifted his gaze back to Hoopa. Her face was scrunched in concentration as her little hands worked on the knots that were bigger than her head. And in her eyes swam a different emotion, one he couldn't quite place. Was it the warmth he felt? Was she embarrassed by the situation, too? Could she also be feeling the hope, perhaps a hope for an apology? The feeling swelled within him again. He had shown her a side he was not proud of… But it appeared she was doing the same for him. She was showing him a sensitive Hoopa, one who both fled in the face of opposition and acted in kindness - or perhaps pity - when it was appropriate. And while she was showing him a Legend capable of fixing, he had only shown her a creature capable of destroying...

He had been so caught up in his thoughts that he was surprised to feel the single sensation of the ropes untangling and falling down the sides of his legs as one. Moving it back and forth, he felt liberated from the difficult task he had completed, but it felt strangely insignificant now that it was complete. His slow progress must've affected the reaction of the plates, for it likely wasn't the great catastrophic occurrence Arceus hoped for. Now, with the pink darkening to a lavender color and blue clouds sailing towards the sliver of sun, the world seemed at peace… Silent and unchanged.

But for him, something _had_ changed, something more important than teaching humans a lesson…

"Thank you," he murmured, shifting his weight so that his golden head faced her. This time, she returned her gaze, expression full of uncertainty. If he had a mouth, he would've frowned solemnly. "You didn't have to do that… Especially si- Why…?"

Her eyes gleamed in the dim light and she visibly narrowed them at him… but not without a shallow smirk. "Finally decided to speak up, Regi? 'bout time," she replied with a little chuckle, a softly shrill sound that, strangely, didn't aggravate him this time. His gaze softened as she looked away at the orange streaks splashed over the sky where the sun had sunk into the ocean. He could tell she was avoiding his final question… But he supposed that he didn't have to know. He was just happy that she was not upset with him… and pleasantly surprised to find that she wasn't as bad as she'd seemed earlier in this subdued state.

His mild internal surprise became an external shock as he watched her float closer to him. He instinctively scooted a little further away, but it did not seem to faze her. Keeping her distance, but still close enough to touch, she hovered at the level of his head, wisps billowing in an unfelt wind. And then, to his greatest shock of all, she laid down beside him, facing the same expanse of sky he was. It was difficult to see her from his middle eye sockets, but he could just make out her form in his leftmost eye. She seemed calm… Perhaps a little tense, but she looked rather serene as she followed clouds with her glowing eyes. Her silence was strangely reassuring, and he looked up at what she was seeing.

Together, the gargantuan golem and the tiny djinn watched the last light fade away to make room for stars to shine their own brilliant light.

Anticipation twisted his guts around as they lingered in silence. The mood was right, content… It was the ideal time to tell her how guilty he felt about his actions earlier… But each time he collected a deep breath to let it out, his words failed him. Damn him for lacking confidence, for being so shortcoming with words and for being soft-spoken when speaking. Didn't he want to let his guilt go, to thank her for her kind gesture, to show her that he wasn't just a violent beast?

 _Of course you do, you ridiculous twit. Grow some balls,_ her voice mocked. At first he thought it was the Hoopa laying beside him, but he soon realized that it was the Hoopa that had invaded his mind… The voice of his conscience. And it was the only push he needed to say…

"I'm sorry."

Regigigas looked up in surprise at Hoopa, only to see she had the same expression etched on her face. They both tried to apologize? Grunting, he propped himself up on his marbled elbows, which screamed in protest against his weight, getting a better look at her. She had promptly looked away, discomfort dulling her emotive eyes and pink tainting her cheeks. He had no words. She had no reason to apologize… Her words had hurt him, yes, but that was nothing compared to what he'd done! When she let her eyes, clouded with shame, wander back to his, he tried again.

"Why're yo-"

"It's not-"

Both Pokemon stopped mid-sentence. Again, Regigigas found that his mind blanked. Arceus, how could he manage to screw this up? Hoopa, however, kept her gaze steady, and the determination in her face kept him from trying to speak. And so she did.

"Look, I know you're trying to apologize for your little hand thing," she said, bringing her periwinkle hands in front of her face and balling them for demonstration, "but hear me out first. Cause it's my fault for starting it in the first place."

"But…" he started to say, before trailing away at her glare. He quieted himself, but he wasn't satisfied . That wasn't right. He'd overreacted!

"So you know my little prank in Hoenn about the same time as Arceus' so called 'Groudon Incident'?" He nodded, remembering the confusion of seeing so many of his fellow Legends in Hoenn. From the light from her eyes, he could see her smirk before continuing, "Well, Arceus was royally pissed. She used a lot of the same words she used for Groudon's hullabaloo today, things like, 'You upset the balance of nature' and 'What an immature thing to do' and a lot of other bullshit." She grinned up at him, as if Arceus' speeches were some hilarious joke. He really didn't like the demeaning way Hoopa spoke about Arceus, but he said nothing for the sake of her story… Which seemed unrelated so far. Shrugging her petite shoulders from the lack of response, she went on, "She held no court because she already knew my verdict: she took away my Prison Bottle indeterminably. It's the most retarded thing." She scowled at the thought. Regigigas watched her in silence. He had known about Hoopa's meddling in Hoenn, but he hadn't heard anything about the repercussions. So that explained why Hoopa was so negative… But what did this have to do with today?

As if reading his thoughts, she waved her purple hand impatiently. "I'm getting there! So that was a few days ago. She told me that she wasn't quite done with me, but she had more important things to worry about, thus the meeting today. So that's where you come in." She looked up at him, eyes wide with anticipation of a response. He realized then how much she craved attention from others, and so he gave a little nod. It Arceus had given him a mouth, he would've smiled back at her, for it was a different smile… Somewhat sad and wistful. Then she murmured, "While you were preparing for the job, Arceus took me aside, saying that this was a perfect opportunity. She said you were hard-working, strong in many ways, mature… Basically everything I'm not. So she told me to be your transport as an excuse for me to spend time with you. 'Observe him,' she said. 'Learn from him.' " Hoopa's smile had kind of faded as she gazed upon his rigid, surprised stance against the ground.

She said something else about what a dumb excuse it was, but Regigigas hardly heard it. Arceus… thought these things about him? She didn't think of him as useless? He was no wasted creation… she valued him for what he was! And it was evidenced by putting her trust in him to complete this task! It mattered not what anyone else thought of him, whether he was forgotten by people and other Legends alike. Arceus thought of him… And that made his heart soar!

"REGIGIGAS!" Hoopa cried, interrupting his euphoric thoughts. Startled, he jerked his head towards her. She must've continued her spiel as his mind wandered. Her eyes glowed bright and... perhaps greener than before? Her little frown and the way her brows knit together… Was that… envy? Arceus, how she _did_ want attention! He almost wanted to laugh as she glowered at him, but as he watched her cheeks flush and her eyes drift away from his, he realized his previous thoughts were in err. Now, at least one other mattered to him: Hoopa. He was supposed to be a strong and mature example before her, and he had demonstrated a monster, emotionally weak and unable to control its own self. Cool shame sank down into his stomach. He had let down Arceus… But more importantly, he had let down Hoopa, and had hurt her in the process…

"I-I'm sorry, Hoopa," he stuttered, earning a sidelong glance from her. "I just hadn't realized… Arceus and… but-"

"Oh, please, don't be like that. You're just _so_ in love with Arceus like everyone else is," she replied irritatedly, waving her hand again. She continued before he could interject, a more serious look on her face. "Now, if you'd actually _listen_ to me… I was angry, as you could imagine. First she strips me of my strength, then she insults me like that. But I decided to take it out on you." She was no longer looking at him, instead flickering her gaze along the ground. Shame seemed to leak from her and dripped from her voice as she went on, "In a way, I was angry with you, for being something Arceus… valued. I wanted to mess with you, make you fall, so that I could get back at Arceus in a way." She paused here, and he was grateful that his stolid face gave no indication of the disparity he felt within. "I wanted to show her that her star student wasn't as great as she thought. I mean, what kind of leader favors her creations over others? Fuckin'... Anyway. It turns out that I succeeded in my intentions… But I succeeded a little too well," she concluded. At this, she gave him a wary glance. Her eyes were glossy, and her mouth was curled in a grimace.

Loss of words was becoming a common occurrence for Regigigas. He only stared blankly at Hoopa, who had begun sniveling in an attempt not to cry. He supposed that this was his time to apologize, but he couldn't form the words… And almost didn't want to. He assumed that Hoopa's cruel words earlier were just the things she said to everyone, but now he knew that those words were fostered in the most devious of intentions. He was more inclined to forgive when she was just acting in her nature, but she'd actually _wanted_ to hurt him for her own wants.

...But wasn't that what he had done? He had _wanted_ to hurt her when he lashed out at her, _wanted_ her gone when he squeezed his hands around her. Hadn't he secretly felt that he was above her when he was working so hard to get started while she offered no help? Wasn't he just proving her point about Arceus' flaws?

Groaning as he eased himself up in a sitting position, he, slowly, to keep from startling her, brought his arm around her and use it to scoot himself closer to her. Instead of recoiling, as he expected her to do, she leaned into his solid leg, her shimmering black horn against the weathered white of his leg creating a strange contrast. Her hoop clinked against his rocky skin, but he payed no mind to the bright sound. Her skin, especially on the wisps, was soft - something he hadn't noticed earlier. He felt small trails of liquid trailing down his leg and looked down to see the tiniest of tears falling from the tiniest of Pokemon. He figured this would be a good time to make his own apology… Perhaps it would comfort her.

But it seemed that she was not quite done.

"Ya know, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I thought about how shitty you must've felt because of me, and for what? I could tell you were not going to budge in your work. So when you… reacted to me, I was scared. Scared of you, and the powers you had. But I was also scared of myself in a way, ya know? I had done something so cruel to something so innocent. You were exactly what Arceus said you were, even when you… you know. Hard-working: you never gave up on your task. Strong in many ways: you pulled a fucking tectonic plate, then crushed me, and had the willpower to control yourself. Mature: you didn't let me get to you. Maybe I didn't succeed as well as I'd thought..." She had stopped crying now, and instead felt very warm against his side. He, too, was feeling a warmth rise in him… Like what he felt earlier. It felt… really good to hear those things, and it surprisingly felt even better to hear them from her. "And meanwhile, I'm just a piece of garbage that goes around doing useless things and tearing others down. You must think of me as a monster," she muttered into his leg.

If anything made Regigigas the most distressed that day, it was those last words. They were exactly what he had thought all day long… All his life! He gingerly leaned down to get a good look at her, incredulous. It broke his stony heart to know that someone else felt the same things as he… And that same someone thought so highly of him. He knew what he had to say.

"I thought about you, too," he uttered, and she looked up at him, bright and wet eyes curious. "Before you left, you… All I saw was a scared look in your eyes. I haven't seen eyes like that since… before I was locked away for violence. Rage. _I_ have always been a monster. I knew you would hate me, maybe not come back. Guilt for hurting you plagued me," he paused. "And useless is what I am, without Arceus' instruction. Many forget my existence. I pulled the continents, and then what? I have no important duty. You have hyperspace. You have an important role. And today… You are what made me start. I needed your words to work… You were important here, today, in your own way."

They continued to watch each other in silence. Hoopa's eyes wavered with a strange emotion that Regigigas couldn't pinpoint while he himself felt unfamiliar emotions fogging his head. A burden felt released from him, but he wasn't quite satisfied. And it didn't look like Hoopa was, either. She looked past him into the night sky, and he looked as well, where the many stars emblazoned the black expanse with light… Hope shining out in disparity, he thought. The warm feeling that kept stirring around within.

"Well… Maybe we're not so different. So I think we're both equally sorry and equally willing to forgive, eh?" she whispered up to him. He could hear a smile starting to form in her words, and he looked down to see a small smirk making its way back onto her face. He nodded, now wishing he could grin back at her.

"And, well…" she started growing warm against his cool leg again, and she wouldn't meet his gaze. "You… You're important to me, now, even when you think you're not." She scowled, extra pink flooding her face. He was sure his eyes were glowing a soft, bashful pink as well. "B-but only if I am to you, too…" she muttered for good measure.

Heart fluttering, feeling even greater than earlier, when he thought of Arceus, the warm feeling swelled up within his chest. Treading on dangerous ground, but feeling more confident than ever, he plucked her up from the ground and pressed her to his shoulder. She froze against his own stiff body, but eventually relaxed against him, arms spread wide. He laid his hand atop her small body and savored the warm and soft euphoria that had struck his heart. He wished he could hold her there forever in the closest thing to an embrace they could have. But alas… he drew her away from him, and was surprised to see a cheeky smirk on her pink-tinged face.

"Just wait until I get my Prison Bottle back! Then I'll give you a real hug! And _you'll_ be the small one, because I'll be like… a gajillion times taller!" she declared, beaming victoriously at him. He could only shake his titanic head at her childish promise… but he would most certainly look forward to it.

"Oh shit, Regi, we've got to go!" she suddenly exclaimed, observing the sky. He, on the other hand, observed her. Her sullenness was gone, replaced instead with her talkativeness and likely typical smugness. And he couldn't help but smile inwardly as he watched her. This was his repayment for her kind act when she first returned… She had fixed his physical state, and he hoped that he succeeded in fixing her emotional state. As he watched her bright eyes observe the moon's position in the sky, hoops tinkling brightly and a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth, he had a feeling that he had.

Grabbing a hoop from one of her horns, she tossed it out, creating a yawning vortex of swirling purple and black at its apex. She beckoned him to follow her in, and he stepped into her domain, knowing, with their newfound friendship, that it would not be the last time.


End file.
